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Clallam County plans emergency FEMA map adoption and begins public process on RV-occupancy rules
Summary
County staff said an emergency ordinance will adopt updated FEMA flood-mapping language on an interim basis and planning commissioners are preparing a public process to address RV occupancy and tiny-home rules in response to local housing needs and code inconsistencies.
County planning staff told the committee that updated FEMA flood insurance rate maps require code language the county must adopt to preserve flood insurance eligibility, and that the board will take up an emergency ordinance to bridge a short deadline.
A county planning official said the emergency ordinance copies FEMA-required language and would be in place on an interim basis, and that the county will run a full public process through the Planning Commission and a scheduled public hearing (staff discussed aiming for a May hearing) to consider permanent amendments to the county’s critical areas and floodplain code.
Separately, planning staff described a multi-part review of rules that touch on recreational vehicles (RVs), tiny homes and accessory-dwelling standards. Under current code, occupying an RV for more than 90 consecutive days can violate ADU standards; having more than one RV on a lot can trigger RV‑park rules and associated zoning and permitting requirements. Staff said the current collection of rules is fragmented and, in many cases, unclear or inconsistent.
The Planning Commission has held work sessions and staff said they will schedule hearings to take public testimony on a proposed ordinance that would allow RV occupancy under defined circumstances while addressing public-health, wastewater and aesthetic concerns. Staff acknowledged the issue divides the community: some residents voice concerns about neighborhood impacts, while others and some employers say RV occupancy is the only housing option available to some workers.
Planning staff said they will not seek to regulate normal recreational RV use and that the proposed code changes aim to balance public-health and neighborhood impacts with the reality that some households rely on RVs as long-term housing. The commission’s public hearings will be followed by a recommendation to the Board of Commissioners for any final code amendments.
Ending: Staff asked the committee for patience as the planning process proceeds; the emergency FEMA ordinance will temporarily incorporate FEMA language to maintain flood-insurance eligibility, and the RV-occupancy and tiny-home discussions will continue through the Planning Commission public‑hearing process before any final action by the board.
